Postal scales in general domestic use are of the spring type and their most general use is for weighing letter mail of approximately one ounce. Frequently, after some use, these scales get an unloaded reading of more than zero. The fact that the unloaded reading is not accurate and the fact that there is often the difficult visual task of determining where a pointer is located amongst close gradation lines often causes a person to either affix an extra stamp to be sure of correct postage or causes incorrect reading with resultant insufficient stamping of the mail. This insufficient stamping causes the POSTAL SERVICE to waste time from its high volume, automated processing to individually reject the mail, make proper notation and then return it to sender; the mailer then wastes time and money in placing the mail in a new, properly addressed and stamped enclosure and mail delivery time has been prolonged. Electronic scales are expensive for home use and there is always the need to set a proper unloaded zero reading and check on the condition of a battery.
There is need for a simple inexpensive mechanical domestic mail scale that maintains an accurate zero reading after prolonged intensive use and after long periods of non-use; a scale that accurately determines postage due without necessitating a judgement based on the difficult visual task of determining where a moveable indicator is positioned on a background of fine and close gradation lines.